ABSG Questions for Discussion: 1 The Triune God (Jan 7)

Welcome

Many Sabbath School class teachers either preach a sermon to their class or deliver a monologue on the whole lesson, going through it "day-by-day." The most rewarding sessions involve the members in discussion. These questions here are intended to stimulate the active participation of the members in your class. Of course pertinent information imparted by the teacher is also very valuable, for which there are many resources in print and on the internet. This site seeks to provide a resource for discussions.

If you are a member and not a teacher and your class is boring, try asking questions such as these in your class.

Wednesday, 4 January 2012

1 The Triune God (Jan 7)

The Oneness of God

1. If God is only one how could people have started believing that there might be hundreds and thousands of gods?

2. Is it harder to understand the plurality of God or the oneness of the three? Why?

The Deity of Christ

1. Does “Son of God” imply any less godness than “God?”

2. For what types of reasons might people think Christ was not divine?

3. If Jesus were not divine how would that affect our salvation?

The Holy Spirit

1. Is the Holy Spirit more spirit than the Father and the Son, or any less a “body” than they?

2. Do we witness the work of the Holy Spirit only after Christ’s departure or even concurrently during his life? Why is this question important?

In Unity and Equality

1. Who assigned the roles for the three persons in the Godhead?

2. Could the three persons in the Godhead interchange roles?

3. Describe the characteristics and nature of each person of the Godhead. How does each have a different personality?

The Trinity and Salvation

1. Would it have been harder for a one-person God to save humanity from sin?

2. Whose work among the three was the hardest in the work of saving humans? Who had the easiest task?

3. Is the doctrine of trinity critical for salvation?

How to Teach a Sabbath School Class

1. Make a conscious decision that you will lead a discussion and not preach a sermon. Prepare accordingly and be alert for discussion opportunities. A discussion in which many participate is very rewarding.

2. You must have a page of freshly written notes. Don't waste people's time with inconsequential things just to occupy the time.

3. Sprinkle your notes with discussion questions and mark them out in bold. Any time you feel you are losing the attention of the members get them into another discussion. The discussion should be relevant to the lesson as well as to everyday life.

4. Start the lesson with a discussion question, or at the very latest within the next few sentences. If you wait for ten minutes and then try to generate a discussion it will be too late. The class will have tuned you out because you have tuned them out.

5. The opening question should be general enough so that even those who have not studied will be interested in contributing.

6. Avoid questions that can be answered by a single word. If someone answers with "yes/no" ask them to give reasons for their answer. If the answer is too short ask them to clarify or simplify the answer.

7. If a member asks a question, that is a golden opportunity for a discussion. Don't waste it by answering it too quickly. Throw the question back to the members for their opinion. You can give yours at the end.

8. Avoid childish questions such as "Which day is the Sabbath?" Members will not feel any need to answer it. Similarly do not pause in a sentence for the members to supply the last few words. That kind of participation is not a discussion. Members must contribute ideas and thoughts and not just words.

9. Avoid trick questions. Members will be embarrassed if you show them wrong and they will not answer the next time. Also avoid questions that will make it obvious whether or not they have studied the lesson. Those who have not studied should also feel urged to contribute.

10. You may sometimes present two views and ask the members to evaluate the views.